CO N T I N U I N G T H E FA M I LY L EG AC Y
Linda Leary
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For Dick Leary ‘49, community service was not a passing fancy, but a lifetime commitment; so, it is no surprise that his daughter Linda would be imprinted by this model of generous giving of self. Linda has been a lifelong resident of Brookline, where her father, Richard Leary ‘49, was Town Administrator for 25 years. Linda graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1981. Shortly after, she began her career in banking, first, with Bank of New England and then with the global custodian, Brown Brothers Harriman & Company (BBH), where she completed 34 years of service and retired on July 1, 2021. While working at BBH, Linda had the opportunity to spend two years working in Luxembourg enabling her to travel throughout Europe and forge lifelong friendships. Stepping away from her workday routines has allowed Linda to shift her focus to how best to fulfill her retirement years with volunteer opportunities and providing financial support for institutions such as Malden Catholic. She has assumed that role with relish!
his life-long association with the school. “My dad’s true passion while attending Malden Catholic,” she says, “was hockey. He was a member of the 1948 Malden Catholic State Championship Hockey Team and the 1949 Catholic League Championship Team. Throughout his life, my dad regularly attended Malden Catholic events, including hockey games and the scholarship breakfasts that recognized donors. I often read the thank you notes sent to my dad from students who had benefited from the Richard T. Leary, Jr. Memorial Scholarship. The notes would reflect appreciation for the scholarship, but most importantly they revealed how the scholarship had relieved families of the financial challenges that they faced.” The commitment and dedication that her dad had for Malden Catholic made an impression on Linda, and she wanted to continue not only his gift giving, but also the personal interaction with the Malden Catholic community to show her appreciation for the school that had molded her dad into the caring and selfless person he became.
Linda witnessed firsthand her father’s commitment to community service, not just in Brookline, but also at Malden Catholic, where Dick was a longtime leadership donor through the Saint Francis Xavier Society. She recalls
Like many others, Linda enjoyed attending our annual SFX Society Reception this past October. “While attending,” she says, “two words came to mind that truly reflect the spirit of Malden Catholic: community and camaraderie.”
